Island



(No Model.) v

W. E. TAFT. PNEUMATIG BILLIARD CUSHION.

No. 576.238. Patented Peb. 2, 1897.

WITNESSl-:E:

VALTER E. TAFT, OF PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND, ASSIGNOR TO JOHN A. CARTER,OF SAME PLACE.

PN EU IVIATIC BlLLlARD-CUSH|ON.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 576,238, dated February2, 1897.

Application filed August 24., 1896. Serial No. 603,758. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom, t may concern:

Beit known that I, VALTER E. TAFT, a citizen of the United States,residing at Provi. dence, in the State of Rhode Island, have invented anew and` useful Improvement in Pneumatic Billiardushions, of which thefollowing is a specification.

The object of my invention is to provide billiard-cushion having greatelasticity and resilience, whereby the billiard-balls may be caused totravel for a long distance upon the expenditure of a slight amount offorce; and my invention consists in the combination and arrangement ofthe air-tube with a pivotallysupported engaging strip, by means of whichl the impact of the ball will be transmitted to the air-tube and itsfull reacting impulse be impart-ed to the ball.

In the accom anvimT drawings Figure l` u b t: 7 b

represents a detail section of the edge of a bi1liard-table, showing thetransverse section of a cushion embodying my improvement. Fig. 2represents a section taken in the line 2 2 of Fig. l. Fig. 3 representsa transverse section of the cushion, showing a modification.

In the drawings, A represents the billiardtable, B the air-tube of thecushion, and O the engaging strip, placed in the front of the cushion,as shown in the section, Fig. 1. The engaging strip O is preferably madeof rubber, molded in the form of cross-section required for the properengagement of the billiard -balls therewith, but the said strip may bemade of any other suitable material and extend from end to end of thecushion. The air-tube B is held in the groove a of the wooden strip D,

and between the strip D and the wooden strip E is placed the sheet-metalstrip F, which is turned up at its opposite edges to form the narrowlianges h and c, the rear iiange c serving to hold the strip F inposition and the flange b to provide in conjunction with the shoulder dof the wooden strip -D a groove or .recess e, adapted to ,looselyreceive the lower ends of the steel "plateslG, which are attached byvulcanization to the engaging strip C, and by this means the engagingstrip will be so supported as to be capable of a slight rocking movementupon the impact of the billiardball therewith.

The wooden strip D is first lirmly secured to the rail K, and the woodenstrip E and me tallic strip F secured to the under side of the strip D,and the textile fabric I-l, which is preferably vulcanized onto theengaging strip O, glued to the Linder surface fof the strip E,

and also to the upper surface g of the stripy D, thus holding theair-tube B and the engaging strip C in position. The cushion-cloth orouter covering I is then to be secured to the cushion as usual, and therail K then secured in position, as shown in Fig. l. Vhen thebilliard-ball J strikes against the engaging strip C at the point 7L,the said strip will be forced backward against the resilience of theconfined air in the air-tube B, and the reaction of the air in the tubeB will cause the ball to rebound with great speed from the edge of thecushion, the air-tube being so arranged relatively to the strip O thatthe required resilient action will be developed at the point of impacth.

A desirable modification is shown in Fig. 3, in which the steel plates Gand the metallic strip F are dispensed with and the engaging strip C ismade to extend downward to the cornerj of the strip E in front of theshoul der d, the lower edge of the strip E being held toits turning seatj by means of the teX- tile fabric H. The engaging strip E and thebilliard-ball J will thus be free to receive the resilient action of theair in the tube B without waste of energy.

-I claim as my inventionl. In a billiard-cushion, the combination of theair-tube, with the pivotally-held engaging strip arranged in front ofthe air-tube, substantially as described.

2. In a billiard-cushion, the combination of the air-tube, with thepivotally-held engaging strip arranged in front of the air-tube, and theflexible fabric for holding the en gaging strip in contact with theair-tube, substantially as described.

3. In a billiard-cushion, the combination of the air-tube, with thepivotally-held engaging strip arranged in front of the air-tube, theflexible fabric for holding the vengaging strip in contact with theair-tube, and the outer covering of the cushion, substantially asdescribed.

. WALTER E.' TAFT. Witnesses:

SOCRATES SCHOLFIELD, HARRY J. GAncEAU.

IOO

